By Maggie LaNoue
Contributing writer
Motorists entering Albion from Interstate 94 at Exit 121 are finding a changing landscape along North Eaton Street. New pavement, commercial property purchases, construction, renovations and water main replacement are altering the look of one of the city’s principal entrances.
The corridor is also an everyday destination for Albion residents, with businesses offering groceries, restaurant meals, automotive sales and services, and home, garden and farm supplies. Rent-A-Center, in the Tractor Supply shopping center, also accepts Amazon returns.
Detour signs remain along the route as water main replacement and pavement reconstruction continue farther south on Eaton Street.
Near McDonald’s, the shopping center west of Eaton Street has new pavement, replacing parking areas that had been riddled with potholes for years. Nearby Bemer Street, which runs past College Chevrolet, also has been repaved. Its deteriorating surface made the street difficult to navigate.
Across Eaton Street, a new Dairy Queen stands where a Burger King remained closed for years before it was demolished. TMT Haidous Brothers LLC, whose mailing address is in Indiana, purchased the property at 1508 N. Eaton St. for $335,000 in May 2024.
Continuing along the corridor, motorists pass Taco Bell and the former Sunnies building, where exterior renovations are underway after its May 4 sale to Raina Sandwich Albion LLC for $675,000.
The most dramatic change may be the expansive new parking lot at the Tractor Supply shopping center. Fresh blacktop now covers an area where shoppers once navigated deep potholes and crumbling pavement.
Together, the Sunnies sale and a larger September transaction account for nearly $2.5 million in commercial property sales along North Eaton Street this year.
On Sept. 1, Albion Plaza Group LLC purchased three parcels from Albion Investments LLC for a combined $1.8 million. The properties are the Tractor Supply shopping center at 1450 N. Eaton St., 1506 N. Eaton St. and 1408 Wiener Drive. Albion Plaza Group LLC was formed Aug. 3, less than a month before the purchase.
The three-parcel transaction was documented in the city assessor’s September sales report, included in the Oct. 19 Albion City Council packet. The $1.8 million covers only the purchase price and does not include paving or other improvements.
Wiener Drive is familiar to many shoppers as the rear entrance to Family Fare. Portions of the access road have been repaved, improving another route into the shopping area.
Albion City Council member Vivian Davis, who represents Precinct 5, where the Tractor Supply shopping center is located, said the center’s new owner invested in pavement improvements near Tractor Supply. Davis also said the city plans to budget for repaving the remaining city-owned portion of Wiener Drive next spring.
City Manager Sheryl Theriot commented on the city’s construction work and its disruption to businesses and motorists. “The construction along one of Albion’s main business corridors was much needed, and we’re pleased to see the progress taking shape,” Theriot said. “We recognize that the work was at times disruptive to local businesses and vehicle traffic, and we truly appreciate everyone’s patience throughout the process.”
Debbie Kelly, president and CEO of the Albion Economic Development Corp., said the community’s growing visibility could encourage further investment.
“Our community has tremendous potential, and increased visibility creates opportunities to attract new investment, strengthen our business community, and build on the momentum we’re creating,” Kelly said.
Much attention has focused on redevelopment in Albion’s century-old downtown, where historic buildings are being restored or prepared for new uses. But the newer North Eaton Street commercial corridor also has changed considerably since 2020, when deteriorating pavement and vacant buildings were familiar sights.
Today, new businesses, property investments and infrastructure work are reshaping this entrance to the city. For residents who remember navigating its worn streets and parking lots, the difference is easy to see.
Photos by AlbionMich.net
